A variety of products are available for consumer and industrial use today which can be used to enhance the safety and security of residences and industrial facilities. For example, combustion products or smoke detectors have been recognized as a valuable and important contributor to personal safety both in residences and in commercial establishments.
One such type of smoke detector is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,595,914 entitled "Self Testing Combustion Products Detector" and assigned to the assignee of the present invention. The disclosure of the '914 patent is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
Such units usually include smoke or flame detection circuitry. The purpose of such circuitry is to provide an early warning in the event that smoke or flame has been detected. The detection circuitry in such units typically is electrically coupled to an alarm unit, such as a horn or a loudspeaker. The horn or loudspeaker functions to generate an audible alarm in the event that the detection circuitry detects the smoke or flame.
Such units may be battery powered. Alternately, they may be hardwired into the building electrical system.
Such units usually include a test function. The purpose of the test function is to provide a means to test the power supply and/or the associated detection circuitry prior to an actual fire having been detected. Such testing is important to verify that in fact the unit is working properly. Such detection circuitry usually includes a manually operable push button switch for the purpose of initiating the unit test function.
Experience has indicated, however, that merely providing such a "push to test" function is no assurance that it will in fact be used. Where the units are mounted at the top of a wall or on a ceiling (the usual location), the test function may never be exercised. This is because it is necessary to physically reach the unit and to press the test initiating push button to cause the test to be made. In order to reach the unit it is often necessary to use a chair or ladder. Where the units are installed in an industrial building it may be very inconvenient, if not impossible, to routinely locate a ladder to test the device.
Smoke detectors are known which incorporate a reed switch to initiate a test of the unit. A magnet on a pole can be used to close the reed switch and initiate the test.
Known units which incorporate reed switches have a disadvantage in that once the adjacent magnet has closed the switch, it will remain closed even after the magnet has been removed. The unit will as a result remain in the test mode. To terminate the test it is necessary to remove power from the unit.
Beyond the above-noted problem of testing smoke detectors, other types of units pose similar problems. For example, many buildings today are equipped with battery operated emergency lighting systems. Such lighting systems can be installed in the form of a plurality of separate units each including a battery, a battery operated light and a sensor unit. The sensor unit continually tests the AC power available adjacent the emergency light. On detecting a failure of AC power, the battery is switched to the emergency lights to provide illumination.
Such emergency light modules often include a "push-to-test" type function. This test function exercises the battery by coupling it to the emergency light to verify that the battery has been properly charged and can in fact illuminate the emergency lights.
As in the case of smoke detectors, such emergency light modules are usually mounted at the top of walls, adjacent a ceiling or on a ceiling itself. Hence, they are inconveniently located and often are not tested on a regular basis.
In view of the fact that such units may be depended on by a large number of people to provide an alarm or illumination for safe evacuation of a structure, the ability to quickly and easily test them is important to safety of the occupants of the facility.
Hence, there is a need for a system and apparatus for initiating a test function or functions associated with a remotely located unit. Preferably initiation of the test function can take place without the need of any person climbing on a chair or ladder and without the need of any other special equipment.